NBA officials "reportedly are privately talking about a
lockout this summer," according to Sam Smith of the CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, because the CBA approved by the players last September
was never signed. Bulls Player Rep Steve Kerr, who is resigning
over the "furor": "The league is claiming union leadership
reneged on a lot of the negotiations [former NBPA Exec Dir Simon
Gourdine] did. No one seems to know what Simon negotiated. To
me, it's minor details. But I think it could get ugly. The
whole thing is wacko. All of a sudden our union is being led by
the law firm that tried to get the union decertified." Smith
notes the talk, according to some "insiders," is of an August 1
lockout, "giving teams time to make free-agent deals, but then
shutting down the league again until a final agreement can be
reached" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/2). NBA Senior VP for Legal &
Business Affairs Jeffrey Mishkin avoided talk of a lockout: "We
have an agreement. [The NBPA is] trying to repudiate many of the
key points. But we plan to operate under the terms of that
agreement as we believe it to be." Agent Bill Strickland, a
candidate to be new NBPA Exec Dir: "It would not surprise me if
the league locked us out again. There have been quiet whispers
for the last few weeks. The league is trying to convince people
that the disputed points were agreed to, but I can tell you I was
very involved and there are a lot that weren't. Based on the
information I have, there is no agreement." Union attorney
Jeffrey Kessler, who took over negotiations on the details of the
new CBA after the ouster of Gourdine, does not believe the league
has the "legal standing" to institute a lockout. Kessler: "Both
sides agree there is a document. We disagree on the terms." In
Boston, Peter May notes the deadline is July 1, when the
"floodgates will open" for free agents and new deals (BOSTON
GLOBE, 6/2).

South Korea and Japan, the two contenders to stage the 2002
World Cup, were told Friday to co-host the event, according to
the FINANCIAL TIMES. The "unprecedented decision" forces the two
historically antagonistic countries to share the responsibilities
and revenue of the event and was an "embarrassment" for FIFA
President Joao Havalange who had backed Japan's bid. Japanese
officials described the decision as "unfair and foresaw serious
disputes over which country would host the opening ceremony and
the final." The decision will "force FIFA to begin new
negotiations on broadcasting rights" to the Cup, as initial
offers were taken on the "assumption that the competition would
be staged in one country" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/1). The move
"dilutes the economic benefits of the games," and the "biggest
headache is expected to come in deciding which country will stage
the final match" (Shirouzu & Cho, WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/3). The
move was "a major victory for the Koreans" and a "fierce
disappointment for Japan." The Japanese spent a reported $75M on
their bid, establishing a pro soccer league to gain "global
credibility" (John Powers, BOSTON GLOBE, 6/1). U.S. Soccer
Federation President Alan Rothenberg called the ramifications
"huge," adding, "There is a background of animosity and a lot of
hurdles ahead" (George Vecsey, N.Y. TIMES, 6/2). In Washington,
John Haydon notes "FIFA's decision was a big surprise, but
ultimately the right one" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/1).
NEWS & NOTES: FIFA also awarded the '99 Women's World Cup
to the U.S., with U.S. officials regarding DC's RFK Stadium as
the leading site for the semifinals and finals (Berkowitz &
Sullivan, WASHINGTON POST, 6/1)....IMG is reportedly one of two
candidates to take control of the French soccer club Olympique
Marseille. The offer is part of a strategy to extend IMG into
the "hugely profitable and growing business" of European soccer
(FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/1).

MLB's weekend action was dominated by coverage of the
Indians-Brewers series, where a bench-clearing ball followed
Albert Belle's throwing of a forearm into Brewers 2B Fernando
Vina while running out a grounder. Belle earlier had been hit by
a pitch, and many in the media felt his hit on Vina was malicious
("Baseball 96," CNN, 6/1). Belle's behavior is the focus of USA
TODAY's Sports cover story, as his "baggage [is] getting heavier
by the day" (Johnson & Antonen, USA TODAY, 6/3). Fox's Steve
Lyons: "At what point do some of his teammates stop supporting
some of the things that he's doing?" Fox's Jeff Torborg: "I
thought it was good clean baseball" ("Fox Saturday Baseball,"
6/1). CNN's Tim Kurkjian, on Belle: "I'm sure they'll look at
these tapes, but I don't think he'll be suspended. ... He's
really going to hurt somebody" ("Baseball 96," 6/1). ESPN's
Peter Gammons: "I don't think anything is going to happen. Ever
since the owners got rid of the commissionership, they got the
anarchy they sought, and the Players Association isn't going to
do anything because the Players Association is a rich man's
guild" ("SportsWeekly," 6/2). In DC, Mark Maske quotes one AL
exec who said that AL President Gene Budig wanted to fine or
suspend Belle for throwing baseballs at an SI photographer, but
"the union raised hell." The exec: "At some point, even the
union is going to have to say 'Enough is enough'" (WASHINGTON
POST, 6/2). ESPN's John Feinstein, on the Vina incident: "How
can Bud Selig [acting Commissioner/Brewers Owner] properly
adjudicate the situation? What he should do is suspend Albert
Belle for a month at least, but he can't" (SportsReporters,"
ESPN, 6/2). MEETINGS: Although quarterly owners meetings in
Philadelphia were canceled, MLB's Executive Council will meet
Wednesday with the "most significant" figuring to be Reds Owner
Marge Schott, "who has been invited to attend." The council is
expected to decide within a week whether or not to discipline
Schott for embarrassing comments and her operation of the team
(Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 6/2).